between the 2 stones of Touch, & all armes & Inscriptions & the Drapery of the 2 marble statues very well & artificially cut; hee had 807. for it, but then he carried it 80 or 100 miles, & set it upp there at his charge; others have had it donn for 501., but perhaps not so well cut. . . . See Dr Dunns & the other Tombes at Paul's or Westminster or elsewhere before you speake with the Workmen.' It is appalling to think what the monument might have been if Dean Donne's tomb in St. Paul's had been taken as a model. Before his death, in 1631, Donne dressed himself in his graveclothes, and sat for his own effigy, which looked like a great white owl with folded wings and a very reverend expression, perched upon a funeral urn. 1652 Sketches come to him from London and are revised at Rome; others are sent from Rome, where the busts were probably executed. 'The man that should March 8, draw the designe of the Tombe is so imployed by the Pope's Officers about Shewes for Easter' that Sir Ralph's order is laid aside; the decorative part of the work is to have no 'figures of Men, Birds or beasts.' 'Black & Coloured marble cost 10s. the foot, white marble costs 16s. & alabaster 7s. the foot,' brought in Dutch ships. The monument after all the time and thought bestowed on it, is worthy of Sir Ralph's good taste and of the memories it was destined to enshrine. Sir Roger complains. My hopes of seeing you at the Dtors were dasht; its your pleasure to live still amongst the tombes, and to keep company with ghosts. I pray be no longer intomb'd, least I prove interr'd before you come.' While Sir Ralph is absent Henry writes: My cousen Smith, Lady Haile and Hobart have sent for mee, Cousen to meet them instantly at Claydon, to showe my Lady the house and tombe; noe dinner do they gett.' 6 In August 1653 Sir Ralph is sending a hospitable invitation to sister Gardiner and her husband. 'Hee & all his House shall be most welcome heather, though not so finely fed as I was lately at Preshaw.' His 2 horses go to meet them. I wish they could carry Trebble, that your coach might bee lesse charged; however I hope you will order matters soe as not to leave a Hoofe behinde. The Honest Farmourer will guard the House sufficiently doe not doubt it. In earnest, the more you bring, the sooner you come, & the longer you stay, the greater will the obligation bee to, Deare sister, your most affectionate Brother & Servant.' : He also invites brother and sister Elmes; the former replies: 'your sister & myself do live so unlovingly together that I have no heart to come to her freindes neither do I like to have my freindes come to mee, least they should take notice of her unkindnesse to mee.' The fault was not all on one side. Lady Elmes' housekeeping was carried on under difficulties; her husband would sometimes leave home suddenly: 'He is now gone a way & hathe not |